Not Yet
by LadyRainStarDragon
Summary: Two months after Kohakunushi left to attend his river, his miko waits for his return. The doctor has given startling news to Chihiro. Post R.N.D.


Not yet

By: LadyRainStarDragon

Disclaimer: I don't own Spirited Away, Haku, or Chihiro.

This is set two months after Kohakunushi had left Chihiro to attend to the matters of his river. A vignette of the time of Chihiro's wait for his return. One-shot.

* * *

Autumn stained the leaves of the maples red, crimson banners heralding the swift approach of the freezing snows. The nights were cool, even though the days were still warm enough to go about without bulky sweaters. The grasses were still green, carpet to cushion the brown earth beneath the trees in the forests. A silver ribbon wound it's way through the wood, through the gardens, and through the city, a long-suffering yet still forgiving presence. Night breezes played through the trees, catching up random leaves and hurling them down to speckle the water, or stick in the hair of a lone figure slipping from shadow to shadow closer to the river's edge.

The moon was high, full and white, Hare busily working away at his task to stem the intense boredom from being trapped on such a distant place. Stars, busily twinkling in their dances through the sky, also lent their glow to light the figure's way, and to serve as gentle companions to the confused soul.

Now standing at the river's side, she slipped off her yukata, revealing a powder blue bikini concealing her most secret assets from prying eyes. Casting about a final time, making certain she had no spectators, the woman slipped into the pool at the edge, wondering yet again as to why this was always warmer than the main river.

Kicking off, she allowed the river to take away her tension, swimming through the river, finding that spot that kept her safe and yet provided the perfect resistance to paddle against.

She had quite the shock today in the doctor's office, she needed all the resources she could get.

It had been a normal visit, like any other. Check the eyes, weight, height, blood pressure, pee in the cup, put on the ridiculously skimpy examination robe and wait with the little half-sheet to make you feel at least somewhat covered. Then after what might as well be years, the doctor comes in, checks your breasts for lumps, and does your pap smear. While she's down there, you get the normal vaginal exam, the colors, look for worrisome growth, how have your periods been, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Then the nurse came in all smiles and congratulations. The doctor looks at the paper, and she also seems quite happy, relaying the good news.

Chihiro hadn't known what to think. So, here she was, thinking and swimming.

'How the heck am I going to deal with this? I'm not even married, never mind the fact that I've never gone farther than oral. And that was just once!'

She couldn't help the whimpers as she started doing laps in the shallows. The water swirled around her, depositing her on a rock, still well concealed within the steady waters, quite removed from the rushing current she had been exercising in. The water had a questioning note in its vocalizations, the master of the river giving her his attention from wherever he currently was. Recognizing the wordless question the river posed to her, Chihiro started talking about what was bothering her.

"I had to go to the doctor today."

A note of panic flittered about her, mingling with concern.

"No, I'm not sick. I had to go for my yearly woman's check. The doctor had some interesting results for me."

The water warmed as more of his attention focused on her, listening to the words and feelings she couldn't help but to allow to flow.

"The doctor was confused at first when I told her I hadn't bled for two months, since I always bleed every month, heavy work or not. But then the results for the urine check came in, and she wasn't worried any more. In fact, the nurse and doctor were congratulating me."

The singing of frogs faded away, and the whole river was silent. All of the animals had moved elsewhere for the time. Again, it was probably the doing of the river lord, as the river's animals had never left her alone before. He must be trying to make the one-sided conversation as private as possible.

It was weird how natural talking to the river was.

"It's weird, but there's a real possibility I'm pregnant. It could just be a false positive, but if I don't have my next period in a month, I need to go back for another test."

There was the distinct impression of watery arms holding her, of being pulled back to a chest that by all means shouldn't be there. How much of his power was he using to comfort her like this, when he was so far away?

The river silently accepted her tears, of fear. She was still so young, just a 19 year old girl, no matter than she would be done with University in only a few more. She knew whose child she carried, knew that she wanted it, knew that she couldn't keep it. She was too young.

Finally, there were no more tears, and the river was crooning for her. Most wouldn't have been able to hear it, but if you were sitting in the river, with your ears so near the surface, and the Miko for the guardian kami . . . that made the impossible possible at times.

The water swept over her, his presence completely engulfing her, and Chihiro knew that Kohakunushi was affirming for himself what was happening with his miko. Her cramps came to her then, and the waters abated. The bursting feeling came to her, as the first bubble of blood made it's way out, feeding the river with her still virgin blood.

"Silly me. I guess my hormones are just off. Thanks for listening."

The waters chuckled again, and the animals came back. The maiden climbed out of the water, as the hour was late and she needed sleep.

"Good night, Nigihayami Kohakunushi."

The waters murmured in answer. The woman-child removed herself from the riverside, not realizing that the test hadn't been falsely positive. After she was sound asleep, a frog began a mournful tune taken up by other animals up and down the river, voicing the sorrow of their master. Their master mourned for what he had taken away, and hoped that he would have the chance for the happiness that had been postponed. He was comforted by the fact that the embryo had not been ensouled yet. Whatever egg the soul had been in wherever dragon souls came from had not been ready to release his firstborn's essence yet.

He would wonder for a long time if the child would have been a boy or a girl.


End file.
